WEST DORSET: Local government issues will be discussed at the first meeting of its kind in Dorchester.

John Grantham has organised the Public-First meeting at the Corn Exchange on January 7 with all Dorset residents welcome.

The public meeting aims to give local people a voice and will look at the cabinet system of local government currently used by West Dorset District Council.

There will also be a discussion about a unitary system of governance for Dorset and the challenges and potential benefits of the move.

After brief introductory comments on both topics, two-thirds of the meeting will give people the chance to have their say via roving microphones in the audience. This will give the public a chance to have their voices heard, listened to and have issues they raise discussed.

Mr Grantham said: “I think by focussing on two elements and putting the public first really what we are doing is providing a venue for people to come along and have their opinion and be listened to.”

After the public has had their say the meeting will then be given over to Conservative, Green, Labour, Liberal Democrat and UKIP politicians who have been invited to respond with their views on the topics.

Mr Grantham said: “Most of the time is going to go to members of the public but it would be wrong to just leave all the questions in the air and there is the opportunity for the local political parties to give their views about what they have heard.”

Members of the existing West Dorset District Council executive committee and other councillors have also been invited to have a chance to speak.

Mr Grantham said he hoped for a healthy turnout on the evening and that the meeting would go some way to giving more people a democratic voice in local government.

He said: “Half the success will be if we get a good amount of people who say this is something they want to do and then if it all knits together and makes sense perhaps we can push forward and improve the democratic relationship in West Dorset.”

The meeting at the Corn Exchange starts at 7pm, with doors open from 6.30pm and tea and coffee available.